Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-04-16

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many conflicting stories received, were
slow to appreciate the true situation The
reports received at the newspaper offices,
however, made it apparent thar trouble ola
serious nature had resulted, and reporters
were soon en- route to the Ohio side They
were followed by many citizens, who were
interested in various ways in the
welfare and prosperity of our
northern neighbOrs, and by dusk probably
hundred people had crossed to Martins
Ferry, while a number drove out along
the pike to st. Clairsyille. In Martins
Ferry thousands were attracted to the up
per portion of the town, where the CHIEF
damage was wrought, and there was no
lack of aid for those who had suffered by
the storm. The stricken district lies west,
north and east of the familiar Walnut
Grove, that well known locality being
about the centre of the damaged district,
extending from the river to the hill. AS
one went north through the town
yesterday, the first evidences Of the
violence of the storm were OBJ
served back next the hill, where the wind
had swooped down upon the scattered
houses in Martins and Woods additions.
Here about dozen houses, many Of them
substantial and handsome residences,
were in various stages of ruin, from
total wrecks to buildings which had merely
lost their chimneys, windows, or portion
of the roof or weather boarding. Here
and there crest trees had been snapped of
or torn up by the roots, while fences, and
debris of all kinds were scattered far and
wide over the fields which stretched out
toward the Walnut Grove and the grave
yard. Coming on up to the line
of Seabright's Lane, which extends
from the upper end Of Fifth street
back to the hill, one came
suddenly upon evidences of the fury of the
wind. The beautiful grove, the pride not
only of Martins Ferry, but of the residents
of all this portion of the valley, was COM
pletely wrecked. The storm had cut its
way straight through the grounds, from
southwest to northeast, and three fOurths
of the trees were lying prone upon the
earth. At the corner Of the grove, near
the mound, the trunks lay parallel with
each other and with their tops pointing to
the northeast, looking as though they had
been carefully pulled up and laid down by
the hand of some giant. A little
further on, however, in the direction OF
the cemetery, the wind had taken a swirl
around, and the tree tops pointed to the
northwest, at right angles with the posi-
ton first described. Still further on, over
the line of the cemetery fence, the former
position of the tree tops was resumed,
showing that the storm had made COM
plete revolution while travelling about
three hundred yards. The view from the
top of the mound showed Il vista Of
tangled and twisted tree trunks, OK
tending clear to the edge of the blum
which oyerlOOks the portion of the town
known locally rs Clark's addition, aud
north through the cemetery. Through and
among this fallen timber groups OF sight
seers could be seen wandering about,
gazing at the disaster, and talking over
the incidents of the afternoon.
Proceeding along through the Grove to
the edge of the bluff, the first wreck which
presented itself was the Elson Glass
Works, the south end of which had been
pretty well torn out. This was done by
little squirt of wind, fer the main body OF
the storm passed to the north OF tins
building, having passed through the
cemetery. Just under the edge
of the grave yard bluff, the houses
escaped serious injury, being sheltered by
the high bank. The most serious damage
resulting TO them was the loss of few
shingles from the roofs, the overturning Of
n chimney or two. or the blowing out OF a
few windows. 4 little away from the
shelter of this bluff, however, the build
ings caught the full force Of the blast.
Fifty Yards or 40 from the northern line of
the graveyard, stable lay upside down,
and beside it was fran house twisted
out of all semblance to its former shape.
A little farther and one comes to the former
location of q barn. The building is
gone, rs slick rs whistle, and the sur
rounding streets are filled with nay,
grain, etc, while trail of boards and
plank mark the direction the wreck had
taken. Proceeding on to the railroad
track at Centre street, one comes full upon
| the worst of the wreck. The neighbOT-
hood is well Carpeted with boards, shingles,
and portions Of tin roofing, while telegraph
wires are tangled over the street. Cross.
| ing the railroad track at the corner OF
Centre street, one corner house has one
side blown nearly away, while on the OPP
| pOSllt COTueI u ItSlucutc HlhS lUSJ llS IOOl.
The adjoining houses were knocked
helter.skelter, windows being ont, roofs
OIL, chimneys down, and the sides torn and
mangled. On down Centre street and
north along the cross street, running par
allel with the railroad track, the same
story was repeated at every step. Every
where the buildings not demolished were
skewed around rs though they had been
taken by the corners and twisted. In
many instances the buildings looked ~ If
they had been subjected TO a heavy artil-
lery fire Planks and timbers, carried
with great velocity by the force of the
wind, were driven through and through
the sides and roofs of dwellings, and how,
under such circumstances, the inmates es-
capped alive is a mystery. In some cases
the people had early sought shelter in the
cellars, but in many Others they remained
upon the first or second floors, and were
there exposed to all the fury of the gale
As one got further out in the heart OF
Clarke's addition the wreck BECAME
greater and greater. House after house
had been carried entirely away, and the
1 49,, Mo- -,